The allrounder is still unable to bowl due to a stress fracture as Australia look to gear up for the Commonwealth Games

Andrew McGlashan14-Jul-2022

Ellyse Perry won’t be seen with the ball over the next few weeks•Getty Images

Ellyse Perry, who remains restricted to batting-only duties as she recovers from a stress fracture of her back, could struggle to force her way back into Australia’s T20I line-up for the Commonwealth Games.Perry, whose batting strike rate has come under scrutiny, lost her spot in the format during the T20I leg of the Ashes earlier this year, one of the more significant calls former head coach Matthew Mott made during the latter part of his tenure. Though she may find some game-time during the tri-series in Ireland, as Australia manage their squad in the lead-up to Birmingham, there does not appear to be a vacancy for her in the first-choice side.Tahlia McGrath’s magnificent return to international cricket has made her spot secure while the rest of the top six are locked in barring injury. Having Perry purely as a batter would also alter the balance of the side, albeit she had bowled less in her recent T20Is since returning from the severe hamstring injury picked up at the 2020 T20 World Cup.Related

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“It’s a slightly different role I guess for her for what she can normally play in our team,” captain Meg Lanning said following the team’s arrival in Ireland. “Think if she was to get an opportunity, she’s been in the middle order for us. We are pretty flexible with what that looks like, so any player within that can come in at any point. She would fit somewhere in there.”There’s many players who could come in and play a role and she’s certainly one of those. Looks a bit different for her this tour, but I’m sure she’ll handle it well.”Australia have had 12 T20Is since the last World Cup amid the disruption caused by the pandemic, but four of those have either been curtailed by rain or abandoned – including the last two in the Ashes – so Lanning sees the four games in Ireland (two against the hosts and two against Pakistan) as key to getting back up to speed after a period focused on the ODI format.”It’s about trying to find our groove a little in the format, we haven’t played a lot of it over the last 12 months so an important period coming up,” she said. “Playing against Ireland and Pakistan, we don’t know a lot about Ireland, we haven’t played them for a little while, but it’s exciting to be able to come over here and play them. Pakistan are a dangerous team and have some really skillful players.”Amanda-Jade Wellington is one option to fill in for Jess Jonassen•Getty Images

Lanning said they would monitor the workload of the quick bowlers while in Ireland – Darcie Brown is an especially valuable asset in that regard – and there is the focus of having players primed for the gold-medal push at the Commonwealth Games, but they won’t change the team for the sake of it.”There’s no doubt we want to get some cricket into the squad…but we are certainly not going to change things [just] because we can,” she said. “So we’ll pick our strongest team that we can on each day, understanding that there will be some managing along the way as well.”One selection decision they will have to make for their first couple of matches at least is who replaces Jess Jonassen after she tested positive for Covid before leaving Australia. It could mean an opportunity for allrounder Grace Harris, who bowls offspin, or for legspinner Amanda-Jade Wellington to get her first game in the format since 2018. However, there is also the chance it might not be spinner-for-spinner.”We’ve got some really good all-round options as well in the pace department, so it comes down to what we feel will fit best,” Lanning said. “While it might look a little different to how we normally line up bowler-wise in a T20, think we’ve got some good options.”It does give someone else an opportunity. JJ is a very important part of our team and bowls at all times throughout an innings. That’s something we’ve done really well over the last few years, someone else coming in and taking their chance.”In terms of Covid, the team is trying to remain indoors in Ireland as much as possible to minimise the risk of infection.”Things can pop up really quickly so we are just being really flexible and understanding of the situation,” Lanning said. “Hopefully that means that we can get through unscathed.”

Much of Tottenham Hotspur’s campaign this year has been defined by injury and a total collapse in Premier League form, but Wednesday’s win over Liverpool in the League Cup could potentially be the start of a turnaround.

The North Londoners were brilliant to a man, and while the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Dominic Solanke and new goalkeeper Antonín Kinský have received most of the attention since, understandably so, there is another starter who should be getting plenty of plaudits: Yves Bissouma.

The Mali international has made his fair share of mistakes this season, but he was solid against the Reds and more than deserving of the 8/10 match rating given to him by Alasdair Gold at full-time.

However, it might be a case of too little too late for the 28-year-old, as recent reports have now linked the club to someone who could be an upgrade on him, a player who could become Spurs’ own Declan Rice.

Tottenham Hotspur chase Rice-esque star

According to a recent report from Italian publication TuttoJuve, Tottenham are one of several teams interested in Juventus ace Douglas Luiz.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report has revealed that fellow Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United are also keen on the former Aston Villa star.

The report does not mention how much a transfer might cost, but given his struggles and severe lack of game time this season, we would be surprised to see the Old Lady ask for more than the £42m they paid for him in the summer.

If that is the price they want, then that would still represent a significant investment for Spurs, but given how well he played in England and the fact he’s won comparisons to Rice before, it could be worth it, even if he’d be bad news for Bissouma.

Luiz's comparisons to Rice and Bissouma

Okay, before we look at how Luiz stacks up against the man he may replace in Spurs’ midfield, it’s worth examining his comparisons to Rice and where they have come from.

Well, it primarily stems from FBref, which compared players in similar positions in the Premier League last season, then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and, in this instance, concluded that the Englishman was the seventh most similar midfielder to the Brazilian.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, key passes, duels won, tackles, blocks and more, all per 90.

On top of the statistical similarities between the pair, they are both more than capable of changing between a six and an eight depending on what their team need and some, such as former professional Jermaine Pennant, believe the former Villa ace “can do everything that Rice can do and better.”

With all of that said, how does the Juve ace stack up against the player he could potentially replace in N17?

Well, when comparing his underlying numbers from last season, when he was playing in the country, to the former Brighton & Hove Albion stars from this season, he comes out on top, and by some margin.

For example, the “amazing” midfielder, as dubbed by Unai Emery, comes out ahead in the majority of metrics, including but not limited to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, key passes, crosses and passes into the penalty area, goal and shot-creating actions, blocks, ball recoveries, aerial duels won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.28

0.06

Actual Non-Penalty G+As

0.30

0.19

Progressive Passes

5.05

6.21

Progressive Carries

1.80

1.36

Passing Accuracy

85.7%

89.4%

Key Passes

1.59

0.39

Passes into Penalty Area

1.17

0.68

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.24

0.00

Goal-Creating Actions

0.30

0.00

Shot-Creating Actions

3.52

1.17

Tackles Won

1.14

2.04

Blocks

0.96

0.58

Interceptions

0.69

1.26

Errors Leading to a Shot

0.06

0.19

Successful Take-Ons

0.72

0.58

Yellow Cards

0.36

0.49

Ball Recoveries

5.53

5.15

Aerial Duels Won

0.75

0.29

Ultimately, while Bissouma put in a stellar shift against Liverpool on Wednesday, he has not been reliable enough for Spurs over the last couple of years.

Therefore, even if it’s just on loan to start with, Levy and Co should look to bring the “box-crashing” Luiz, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, to North London this month, as he might just become their own Rice.

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Zaib gave the Indian seamers a workout before Arshdeep, Harshal closed out the game

Deivarayan Muthu03-Jul-2022
Indians’ top order folded either side of a rain break at the County Ground in Northampton, but a punchy 34 from their captain Dinesh Karthik and an even punchier half-century from Harshal Patel dragged them up to 149 for 8. Saif Zaib, who was reprieved twice, then gave Indians a late scare, taking the chase down to the last over in which Northamptonshire needed 11. Harshal, however, yorked Zaib off the third ball to secure a hard-fought ten-run victory for Indians.Despite the absence of Chris Lynn and Jimmy Neesham, it was Northamptonshire who made the early running on a cloudy day. Captain Josh Cobb gave himself the new ball and immediately found turn to pin Sanju Samson lbw for a golden duck. Rahul Tripathi, who slotted in at No.3, tried to manufacture scoring opportunities but ended up toe-ending a scoop off Brandon Glover to the keeper for 7 off 11 balls.Related

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Glover, the Netherlands international, ran in hard and hit the pitch harder in his maiden T20 outing for the Northamptonshire first XI this season. After going past Suryakumar Yadav’s outside edge twice, the seamer found it and had him nicking off for a duck. When Ishan Kishan hauled a half-tracker from left-arm wristspinner Freddie Heldreich to deep square leg, Indians were 51 for 4 in the ninth over.Coming out to bat in the third over and dealing with wristspin isn’t Karthik’s stronger suit in T20 cricket. He, however, counterpunched his way to 34 off 26 balls. In the last over of the powerplay, Karthik powerfully swatted James Sales, the son of former Northamptonshire stalwart David, to the midwicket boundary.Karthik then laced Cobb through the covers for four and slog-swept legspinner Alex Russell over midwicket for six. When Karthik attempted a similar shot for a similar result against Helderich, he couldn’t get enough elevation, with Ricardo Vasconcelos snagging a spectacular tumbling catch at deep midwicket.Brandon Glover dismissed Suryakumar Yadav for a duck•Getty ImagesKarthik’s dismissal left Indians at 72 for 5, with almost nine overs left in the innings. Harshal and Venkatesh Iyer then struck up a 60-run partnership off 44 balls to push Indians closer to 150. Harshal had a slow start, but he turned up the tempo to notch up a 34-ball half-century. He reached the landmark in grand style when he launched a six into the top tier beyond long-on. All up, Harshal hit five fours and three sixes during his 36-ball 54.Prasidh Krishna, who had been yanked out of the Test squad, hit splice-jarring lengths in the powerplay and had opener Vasconcelos slicing a thick outside edge to deep third man for 5. Arshdeep Singh couldn’t quite control the swing in the early exchanges, but tightened up to have Cobb weakly chipping a catch to Kishan at short midwicket. Much like Prasidh, Avesh explored hard lengths before breaching Ryan Rickelton’s defences with a rapid full one.Northamptonshire slipped further to 77 for 6 in the 11th over when Venkatesh trapped Sales for 12 off 14 balls. Indians might have been sniffing a comfortable win at that point, but Zaib gave their seamers a workout before Harshal castled him in the last over.Glover (15) and Nathan Buck (18) gave Zaib good company before Yuzvendra Chahal, who was bowling with a beanie, dismissed both of them. Indians then closed out the game with accurate yorkers from Arshdeep and Harshal.Midway through the game, Indians received the good news of regular captain Rohit Sharma stepping out of isolation and having a net session at Edgbaston after testing negative for Covid-19.Having swept Ireland 2-0 and beaten Derbyshire and Northamptonshire in the T20 tour games, a Rohit-led India will run into England in the first of the three-match T20I series, in Southampton on Thursday.

Unbeaten in their last three games in all competitions, with a 2-0 win against Chelsea obviously sticking out during this positive patch of results, the spirits are currently high at Ipswich Town.

With two home games up next versus Brighton and Hove Albion and Manchester City, Kieran McKenna will pray more points are added next to their Premier League total, as the Suffolk underdogs attempt everything in their power to not sink down to the Championship straight away.

The top-flight is a cruel beast unfortunately, but McKenna will remain optimistic, especially if he can get a tune out of Kalvin Phillips between now and the end of the season after he stood out against Bristol Rovers in FA Cup action.

Kalvin Phillips' loan spell at Ipswich so far

It’s been a topsy-turvy loan stint so far for Phillips with various different highs and lows being thrown his way.

His unfortunate red card against Leicester City back in November will go down as a glaring negative – with the Foxes going on to pick up a share of the points with the ex-Leeds United man off the pitch – but his showings away from this bleak moment in isolation have been somewhat encouraging.

He even scored a belter against the Gas last time out to get his Ipswich account up and running, whilst his other performances in the Premier League have seen his past Leeds confidence back on display in spurts, with 3.4 ball recoveries and 3.6 duels successfully won per match.

Therefore, there is plenty for the much-maligned 29-year-old to cling onto for positives, with Phillips now wanting to nail down a permanent spot in the middle of the park, even as the Tractor Boys line up an audacious swoop for a former Premier League title winner.

Ipswich keen on signing amazing midfield partner for Phillips

As per Sky Sports Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg over the weekend, Ipswich are exploring a potential deal for former Chelsea brute Nemanja Matic this January, with McKenna wanting more proven Premier League battlers in his team.

After all, figures such as Sam Morsy in central areas have notably struggled to adjust to the huge step-up in quality from the EFL to the Premier League, with the 33-year-old giving away a penalty recklessly in his side’s last outing in the division versus Fulham.

Whilst Matic isn’t exactly a spring chicken himself at 36 years of age, his experience in the top-flight goes without saying, with 251 appearances in the tricky league under his belt for both Chelsea and Manchester United.

At Stamford Bridge, he would even hold the title aloft twice as a key cog in the middle, with his known combative play style not lessening the deeper he gets into his career, as seen in his glowing recent numbers on the books of Olympique Lyonnais.

Matic’s league numbers for Lyon (24/25)

Stat (* = per 90 mins)

Matic

Games played

13

Touches*

59.5

Accurate passes*

44.5 (86%)

Tackles*

1.5

Ball recoveries*

5.7

Total duels won*

2.8

Stats by Sofascore

Described as an “unbelievable” player in his prime by journalist Bolarinwa Olajide, one of his best campaigns in English football saw him win a stunning 5.6 duels per game during 2017/18. He is undoubtedly still a tough tackler unafraid to break up play in his twilight years, with an impressive 5.7 ball recoveries managed in Ligue 1 this term.

For context, Jens Cajuste has only managed 3.1 on the contrary, with Matic’s presence allowing the Tractor Boys to feel more secure at the back with an anchor protecting the defence, whilst also gifting Phillips more license to roam and attack away from completing his dirty work.

With 24 assists in the Premier League also to his name, this could be an inspired signing by McKenna if he can get the Serbian to play out of his skin between now and the end of the season, with the veteran and Phillips combining to form a menacing duo.

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Ipswich Town eased past Bristol Rovers 3-0 in the FA Cup.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Jan 12, 2025

Chelsea managed to ease past Morecambe in the FA Cup third round, despite only being 1-0 up at half-time at Stamford Bridge. A first-half deflected strike from Tosin Adarabioyo was the only difference between the sides, after Christopher Nkunku’s penalty was saved.

Second-half goals from Nkunku, João Félix (x2) and Adarabioyo made it 5-0, with half-time substitutions of Malo Gusto, Marc Cucurella and Jadon Sancho improving the overall performance in that second half.

Enzo Maresca’s side held 81% possession, took 28 shots in the game and created four big chances in the game, albeit with there having been a mixed bag of performances.

Tosin's performance vs Morecambe

It was the unlikely brace from Adarabioyo that caught the headlines, as the central defender smashed two goals in from outside the box, having been given the space to shoot on both occasions by the Morecambe deep defensive line.

The 27-year-old scored two goals, made one clearance, one block and one interception. He also won all four of his aerial duels contested and made 93% of his passes with 107 touches in the game.

Adarabioyo’s role in this game was extremely important, with Morecambe dropping off so deep, the space was for him to advance, either dragging the opposition striker towards him to make space for his defensive partner (Axel Disasi) or forcing them even deeper, making room for those long-shot chances.

Despite the good performance from Adarabioyo and a few others, especially in the first half, Chelsea fans were left with a lot to be desired. One individual who failed to have his imprint on the game was Marc Guiu, who started up front in the place of Nicolas Jackson.

Why Chelsea need an upgrade on Guiu

Guiu was awarded a 4/10 match rating from GOAL for his performance, only managing 11 touches in the game, with nine accurate passes.

The 19-year-old striker was signed from Barcelona this summer for a fee of around £5m, already making 12 appearances for the Blues since joining, scoring six goals.

Stats

Guiu

Minutes

90

Shots

1

Touches

11

Accurate Passes

9/9

Ground Duels Won

0/1

Aerial Duels Won

0/3

Fouls

1

The stats backed up the fact that Guiu felt anonymous in the game, with Filip Jorgensen having more touches (29) than the striker. As per usual, the Spanish youngster worked hard, engaging in duels all over the pitch, but unfortunately losing all four of those duels (both ground and aerial).

Guiu did make 100% of his passes (nine of nine), but much of his involvement was easily dealt with by the Morecambe defensive unit. This was a game where Guiu had the chance to continue knocking on the door for more Premier League substitute minutes, but a lack of involvement may actually cause Maresca to push for another striker option.

Whilst Guiu has shown signs in his short stint at Chelsea so far, he is clearly a raw talent who needs time and minutes to develop, which could mean a loan best suits his development plan at this current time.

Therefore, as has already been suggested for a while, the Blues would need to acquire another striker option, as an upgrade on Guiu, to challenge Jackson.

Performance in Numbers

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Thankfully, at least, Guiu’s woes were overshadowed by the brilliance of Tosin and co, with the Blues ultimately powering into the fourth round.

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The soccer analyst shared his thoughts on Cardoso and his future for the 2026 World Cup

• Lalas discusses the potential for roster changes before the World Cup
• Cardoso's recent performances for Real Betis catch attention
• USMNT's depth in midfield poses challenges for newcomers

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  USMNT legend Alexi Lalas sees progress in Johnny Cardoso’s game at Real Betis but isn’t convinced it will be enough to secure him a spot in the USMNT’s 2026 World Cup squad just yet.

  On a recent episode of his , Lalas highlighted Cardoso’s strong performances for Real Betis, including his goal against Real Madrid, while questioning whether those strides will translate to a bigger role with the national team.

  “Yeah, so Johnny keeps doing his thing, but we’ve talked now for years about Johnny relative to the national team,” Lalas said. “I’m constantly mentioning the fact that we are, you know, a year and a half, less than a year and a half and 440 some-odd days before the World Cup. And how much can really change when it comes to the national team, and how much can these individuals change? And while my initial reaction is to say, well, very little, that might still be true. ”

  READ MORE:

  Lalas acknowledged that while Cardoso has improved, the real question is whether those changes will be enough to earn him a starting spot or even a place on the final roster.

  “But that little that they do change might ultimately be the difference between them being successful or, even in the case of Johnny, finding a way into that starting XI. So this is good, and I think that Johnny has improved, but it’s still not manifested totally from a national team perspective,” Lalas said.

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• WHAT ALEXI LALAS SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  With the 2026 World Cup on home soil just over a year away, every performance by potential USMNT players is under scrutiny. Cardoso's rise at Real Betis has put him in the conversation for a national team spot, but the competition in midfield remains fierce. However, the USMNT’s poor performances at the CONCACAF Nations League might open up a place for the Real Betis star in the future. The midfielder has enjoyed a decent campaign for the La Liga side, contributing to four goals across all competitions.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  Real Betis have been on an excellent run of form since February, winning all but one of their games across all competitions while going unbeaten in the league in that time period. It has seen them surge up the table into sixth, with them only five points behind fourth-place Athletic Club. face league leaders Barcelona next on April 5 before hosting Jagiellonia Bialystok in the Europa Conference League on April 10.

As they were towards the end of last season, Tottenham Hotspur have been incredibly inconsistent this year.

Ange Postecoglou’s side have looked sensational in some games and utterly hopeless in others, and while their Premier League campaign has gone awry, they remain in the League Cup, FA Cup and Europa League.

So, it’s not been all that surprising to see the club linked with a plethora of game-changing attackers this month, such as Paris Saint-Germain’s exciting Randal Kolo Muani.

However, while the French international could be a brilliant addition to the North Londoners’ squad this month, they have also been linked with another dynamic attacker, someone who could prove to be an even better signing.

Tottenham Hotspur chasing devastating winger

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Spurs are ‘open to bringing in a new wide player’ this month, and have a number of potential targets.

One of those targets is Celtic star Nicolas Kuhn who, according to the report, has a number of ‘admirers at Tottenham.’

However, due to the German’s immense importance to the Hoops, they want to keep him in Glasgow this month, although if an offer of around £30m was made, they would be willing to sell.

Now, that is undoubtedly a lot of money to pay for someone in the Scottish Premiership, but given Kuhn’s sensational output and potential, he may well be worth it and a better signing than Kolo Muani to boot.

How Kuhn compares to Kolo Muani

Okay, so if PSG hold their ground and demand a permanent fee in the region of £50m for Kolo Muani this month and, in turn, push Spurs away, would the North Londoners be smart to target Kuhn instead?

Moreover, how can we tell which one would be the better signing for the club away from the finances?

Well, one of the ways we can find out is by comparing the pair’s pure output from this season, and in this regard, even though the Scottish Premiership is considered a weaker league than Ligue 1, it’s an easy win for the German.

For example, in 14 appearances this season, the PSG star has scored just two goals and provided one assist, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 4.66 games.

In comparison, the “outstanding” Wunstorf-born dynamo, as dubbed by former Celtic star Aiden McGeady, has scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists in 27 appearances for the Hoops, which comes out to a seriously impressive average of a goal involvement every single game.

Kuhn vs Kolo Muani
Player	Kuhn	Kolo Muani
Appearances	27	14
Minutes	1875′	453′
Goals	16	2
Assists	11	1
Goal Involvements per Match	1.00	0.21
Minutes per Goal Involvement	69.44′	151′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

Moreover, even when we take into account the minutes they have played this season, the 25-year-old comes out miles ahead, with an average of a goal involvement every 69.44 minutes to the former Eintracht Frankfurt star’s average of one every 151 minutes.

So, with it clear that the Celtic star is a far more potent threat, both in terms of goals and assists, what else makes him a potentially smarter signing for Tottenham?

Well, simply put, his preferred position, as unlike Kolo Muani, who mainly plays down the middle and would therefore be in competition with Dominic Solanke, who has been in fine form of late, the former Rapid Vienna gem plays off the right.

This would make Brennan Johnson his primary competition for game time in North London, and while the Welshman has looked good in spells this season, he has also had his fair share of poor patches as well and, of late, has found the back of the net just once in his last seven Premier League games.

Ultimately, Kolo Muani is a talented player who’d surely help improve Spurs, but as things stand, Kuhn is in far better form, would stand a better chance of starting, and is available for potentially £20m less.

Therefore, while he’s not necessarily a household name, Daniel Levy and Co should do what they can to bring him to N17 this month.

Spurs lead race to sign Dragusin upgrade who's a huge "unit at the back"

The promising centre-back would be a brilliant addition to Spurs’ squad.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jan 7, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers’ good momentum under new manager Vitor Pereira stalled on Monday night after a 3-0 home defeat at the hands of Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest. It was a disappointing result for the Old Gold who had previously won two and drawn one under their new boss.

It was the worst possible start for the home side, with former star Morgan Gibbs-White giving Forest the lead. It is fair to say there is no love lost between the Molineux faithful and the Forest number 10, who was greeted with boos from the terraces. It was a poor goal to concede from Wolves, letting Gibbs-White gallop into acres of space in the leadup to his goal.

The Old Gold nearly had their equaliser on two occasions through Jorgen Strand Larsen. His first shot was cleared off the line after some great play by Hwang Hee-chan, and Mats Selz made a brilliant point-blank save to deny him again.

On the stroke of half-time, Forest scored again this time through the in-form Chris Wood. The New Zealand international found space in the penalty box and fired home a cross. Forest got their third late in second-half stoppage time, hitting Wolves on the counterattack with Taiwo Awoniyi scoring.

It was certainly a disappointing night for Pereira’s men, with some poor performances throughout the side.

Wolves’ worst performers vs. Forest

One of the most frustrating performers for the Old Gold on Monday night was the experienced Matt Doherty. The Irishman struggled to cope with the pace and power of Callum Hudson-Odoi, which led to Wood’s goal.

Indeed, that was noted by Birmingham World journalist Charlie Haffenden. The football correspondent gave Doherty a 4/10 rating, explaining that he ‘defended appallingl’” for Wood’s strike just before halftime.

Another player who struggled for Periera’s side was midfielder Tommy Doyle. Starting in place of Andre, the Manchester City academy graduate struggled to make much of an impact in the centre of the park on and off the ball.

That is something that is reflected in his stats on Sofascore at the end of the game. The 23-year-old had 38 touches of the ball but did not create a chance and lost possession six times. He also won just won out of two ground duels and did not win any of his duels in the air.

As disappointing as Doherty and Doyle were for the Old Gold on Monday, there was someone who was arguably even more disappointing. That player was Goncalo Guedes.

Guedes’ stats vs. Forest

It was a frustrating night for the Portugal international, but not for lack of effort. Guedes worked hard but to little avail, running tirelessly all night without any end product. However, he was perhaps to blame for Gibbs-White’s opener, with his poor header the reason Forest could regain possession in the first place.

His grim night at the office was certainly reflected in the stats at full-time. The 28-year-old, who was substituted after 75 minutes, had 42 touches of the ball and lost possession a disappointing 11 times, also failing to complete either of his two dribbles. Guedes also lost all seven of his attempted duels.

Stat

Number

Touches

42

Pass accuracy

84%

Passes completed

26/31

Number of times possession lost

11

Ground duels won

0/5

Aerial duels won

0/2

Dribbles completed

0/2

His performance earned him a 5/10 rating from Haffenden. The journalist was critical of Guedes’ error for Forest’s first goal, citing his ‘poor header’ as a reason for the goal. He also explained he was ‘unsuccessful with many of his dribble attempts’, which is certainly what the stats say.

Wolves’ next Premier League assignment sees them face a tough trip to Newcastle United, days after an FA Cup clash with Bristol City. It seems as though Periera could drop Guedes from the side after his performance against Forest.

If he does drop the winger, he will not be short of options. Carlos Forbs and Pablo Sarabia are both players who could step into that number 10 role, and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde can also pay further forward.

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Dropping Guedes would be a bold call given he has started three out of four games under Pereira so far. However, something needs to give after a poor 3-0 defeat to Forest, and perhaps that is the change the new Old Gold boss needs to make.

Ryan Gravenberch's agent has revealed that the Liverpool star "would love to play" for Real Madrid but explained why a move is "impossible".

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool paid €40m for Gravenberch
• Has a contract with the Reds until 2028
• Dutch midfielder keen to play for Real

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  After being reshaped into a deep-lying playmaker, Gravenberch has flourished in the No.6 position, dictating play and anchoring the midfield with composure and physicality. Initially considered a fallback option after Liverpool failed to secure top target Martin Zubimendi, Gravenberch has proven to be a more than capable alternative. In fact, his consistent displays have arguably made him one of the standout performers in the Premier League this campaign.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  In an interview with Gravenberch’s agent Jose Rodriguez offered a glimpse into the player’s mindset and lofty aspirations right from his childhood. He revealed that top European clubs have been interested in his client since he was a teenager, with both Barcelona and Real Madrid among his suitors.

• WHAT RODRIGUEZ SAID

  “When Ryan was 16, Barça called us. They wanted to sign him, but his father and I prioritized his development,” Rodriguez recalled. "At Ajax, he was able to develop in a way that he possibly wouldn't have at Barça."

  Now, as Gravenberch continues to shine at the highest level, Rodriguez believes his client has reached a point where he could comfortably fit in at Real Madrid.

  "He's good enough for Real Madrid," Rodriguez admitted. "We would love for him to play for them, but Liverpool would ask for a lot of money. I know they've had their eye on him, but now it's impossible."

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Given his form and long-term contract, Liverpool are in no rush to entertain offers. Reports suggest that the Merseyside club has placed a valuation on Gravenberch that could climb to €90 million (£77m/$100m), a price tag that reflects both his current impact and his future potential. Such a sum could ward off even the biggest suitors, including Real Madrid, who are said to be monitoring his situation.

Manchester United have been a side who have massively underachieved over the last few years, struggling to match any of the feats enjoyed by the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson during his time in charge.

The Scotsman took the club to new heights, making them one of the most successful teams in world football, often a force to be reckoned with – leading to their various levels of success.

However, since his retirement over a decade ago, the Red Devils have been unable to add to their Premier League success, with Ruben Amorim the next man tasked with ending their drought.

He’s yet to completely transform the fortunes on the pitch, but signs have started to shine through with his philosophy enabling the Red Devils to defeat Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend.

If they are to reach the next level under his guidance, this transfer window could be crucial as they look to make the step forward and turn around the early season slump under the former management team.

Man Utd hold concrete interest in Championship star

According to TEAMtalk, United ‘have formally registered their interest’ in Sunderland starlet Jobe Bellingham as a potential option to bolster Amorim’s midfield options, with a move potentially in store this month.

However, they aren’t the only Premier League side credited with an interest in the 19-year-old, with Crystal Palace also holding ‘concrete interest’ in the youngster, as per the report.

Jobe, the younger brother of Real Madrid star Jude, has impressed for the Black Cats throughout 2024/25, scoring four goals and registering three assists as they look to secure a return to the top flight.

The report states that the hierarchy are targeting some of the best young talents in England to provide the new boss with the tools to be an immediate and long-term success at Old Trafford.

Bellingham – who has been valued at around £20m – certainly would provide just that, having the star quality to form a phenomenal partnership with another English wonderkid at the heart of the side.

Why Bellingham would star alongside Mainoo for United

Kobbie Mainoo is the latest Red Devils star to break through the club’s academy before making a name for himself in the first-team, thriving beyond all imagination over the last 12 months.

He made his first top-flight start against Everton back in November 2023, before muscling his way into being a regular starter – subsequently earning a call-up to Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

However, the 19-year-old has recently endured his first blip as a professional, struggling to maintain his performance levels of late, with the clash against Southampton evidence of just that, as he was replaced at half time.

It’s understandable that he’s suffered a slight drop in recent months, especially considering how quickly he emerged onto the scene, with fans needing to be patient to see the best of the academy graduate once again.

There’s no denying he’s a superstar talent, with bags of potential to even improve further – something which could happen if the club were to make a move for Bellingham Jr. in the coming weeks.

The Sunderland star, who’s been dubbed a “freak of nature” by teammate Dan Neil, has excelled in possession, averaging 4.8 progressive passes and one successful take-on per 90 – with Mainoo able to sit deeper and allow Bellingham to dictate the play.

Jobe Bellingham’s stats for Sunderland in the Championship (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

23

Goals & assists

7

Pass accuracy

85%

Progressive passes

4.8

Successful take-ons

1

Tackles won

2.3

Aerials won

2.1

Clearances made

2.5

Stats via FBref

However, the former Birmingham City man has also been impressive defensively, winning an average of 2.3 tackles and 2.1 aerials won per 90, making him the perfect box-to-box option alongside the academy graduate – a partnership that could easily last the next decade.

It’s crucial that the hierarchy get the recruitment correct in the coming windows after such reckless moves in previous years which have seen millions of pounds wasted on talents not up to the level required of England’s top flight.

However, Bellingham would be the right calibre of talent, with a move to the Premier League the next step for him after his successful stint at the Stadium of Light, also having the opportunity to develop and follow in the footsteps of his brother in becoming a leading European star.

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